Process for producing crystalline maltitol

Abstract

There is provided methods for producing crystalline maltitol without using seed crystals, with good workability, at low costs, and with efficiency in a short time. One of the methods comprises the steps of feeding a first maltitol aqueous solution to a kneader so as to knead and cool it, then feeding a second maltitol aqueous solution having a high solid content in place of the first maltitol aqueous solution and further kneading and cooling the resulting mixture so as to produce a plastic mass, cooling the plastic mass so as to solidify it, and pulverizing the solidified mass. The other method comprises the steps of feeding a maltitol aqueous solution to a kneader so as to knead and cool it, then adding water and further kneading and cooling the mixture so as to produce a plastic mass, cooling the plastic mass so as to solidify it, and pulverizing the solidified mass.

1 . A method for producing crystalline maltitol, comprising the steps of feeding a first maltitol aqueous solution to a kneader so as to knead and cool it, then feeding a second maltitol aqueous solution having a higher solid content than that of the first maltitol aqueous solution to the kneader and further kneading and cooling the resulting mixture so as to produce a plastic mass, cooling the produced plastic mass so as to solidify it, and pulverizing the solidified mass.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first maltitol aqueous solution has a solid content of 70 to 97 wt %, and the second maltitol aqueous solution has a solid content of 97.5 to 99.5 wt %.  
     
     
         3 . A method for producing crystalline maltitol, comprising the steps of feeding a maltitol aqueous solution to a kneader so as to knead and cool it, then adding water to the kneader and further kneading and cooling the mixture so as to produce a plastic mass, cooling the produced plastic mass so as to solidify it, and pulverizing the solidified mass.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the maltitol aqueous solution has a solid content of 97.5 to 99.5 wt %.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein water is added several times.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  or  3 , wherein the kneader is a continuous kneading-extruding machine having a cooler.